Celebrating Without Her
by mercy4vr
Summary: DL of course, with a hint of MS. Short oneshot. It is New Year’s Eve and in Danny's mind celebrating without Lindsay really isn’t celebrating at all. No spoilers.


**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, I would rent them out to the highest bidder and get really really rich. But since that isn't the case, don't sue me please.

**Summary:** D/L of course, with a hint of M/S. Short oneshot. It is New Year's Eve and in Danny's mind celebrating without Lindsay really isn't celebrating at all. No spoilers.

**A/N:** I asked the question on the D/L discussion thread on Talk CSI "If shippers ruled the world, what would Danny & Lindsay be doing for New Year's Eve?" to see what they thought. However it backfired when my plot bunny attacked me. The below short story is the result for your reading enjoyment!

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Celebrating Without Her

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10:35 p.m. December 31, 2006**

Lindsay Monroe had not gone to the lab's annual New Year's party. Most of the team had been there, with the exception of Hawkes who had had a date with a new trace lab tech. _(there, just scooted him out of the way for any Smacked shippers). _Instead she had just stayed at home watching a DVD of 'Friends', one of her favorite television shows. The recording had ended and gone back to the main menu, but Lindsay had not noticed. She had been standing in the same position staring blankly out the window for the past half hour, watching the snow drift down. Though it was cold, most of the snow turned to slush as soon as it made contact with the earth. Lindsay gave a deep sigh and turned to shut off the television. At this point she just wanted to crawl into her bed under a heap of blankets and sleep forever. She didn't see a point in staying up to ring in the New Year. After all, what did she have to celebrate?

**11:50 p.m. December 31, 2006**

The lab party was in full swing, as any work was put on hold temporarily to allow even those who were on the clock to celebrate as well. Someone had hooked up a stereo in the break room playing a top hits station and the television displayed the scene in Times Square, currently muted until the midnight hour drew nearer. As jovial as the party was, everyone was abstaining from alcohol, because after all, who knows better than the New York Crime Lab what cleanup really meant after a celebration in their fair city. Danny Messer sat at one of the bar stools at the table, uncharacteristically quiet as he observed his coworkers in their relaxed states. Stella had her curly haired head thrown back laughing at something Mac had said, the latter trying to keep a small smile from spreading. Adam had momentarily forgotten his shyness as he explained the intricate procedure of a new processing mechanism to the receptionist, while Flack looked on in amusement. No one had asked where Lindsay was. They all knew that she was working through some issues; however, Stella was the only one who had any inkling what those issues were. To Danny this celebration rang hollow without Lindsay there to share it. Celebrating without her really wasn't celebrating at all. He still wasn't quite sure when exactly his feelings for her had changed towards the romantic, but the more he thought on it he was realizing that a trace of it had always been there, ever since that first day at the zoo. He knew she wasn't ready for more at this time and he had conceded to her point. That did not mean that he didn't still care. Danny couldn't stop caring even if he tried. He decided this party just wasn't right for his current mood. He pushed his stool back from the table and made a beeline for the door. No one noticed him leave save for Flack, who watched him stride purposefully towards the elevators through the glass wall. Don had a feeling he knew where Danny might be headed.

**12:05 a.m. January 1, 2007**

Lindsay sat upright in her bed, her heart racing, startled by the loud banging echoing through her apartment. She recognized the knock as one that would be typical of a New York City Police Officer pounding on a suspect's door. She jumped out of her bed and sprang for her door, hoping to stop the noise before her neighbors complained. She yanked open her front door, mentally preparing to give hell to whomever it was causing the ruckus. Instead, when she saw Danny Messer standing on the other side of her door, her jaw dropped. Danny took advantage of her stunned silence to give her a thorough once over, enjoying her rumpled tank top and shorts along with her sleep mussed hair. When she realized he was blatantly checking her out she snapped out of her reverie and crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look for his transgression. Danny's only response was to grin sheepishly, lick his lips, and then shove his hands into his pockets while rocking back on his heels. Lindsay opened her mouth to ask what he was doing there, but before she could speak he pulled one hand out of his pocket and pressed his fingers to her lips. If she hadn't have already been thoroughly stunned by his appearance on her doorstep in the middle of the night, she would have been floored by this. Her eyes widened in surprise, locking with his. After a moment of staring into the emotion filled depth of his eyes, hers swiftly warmed with lust, and something else he couldn't quite read but that made his heart melt regardless. He leaned towards her and gently lifted his fingers from her lips. He slowly lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a soft kiss which after a moment she returned with equal fervor. As he eased away she looked up at him, into his eyes again, this time looking for answers. Very quietly he said to her "Happy New Year, Montana." He gave her one last loving look, and then turned and walked away.

She slowly closed her apartment door and leaned against it, unconsciously raising her fingertips to rest on her lips as both his fingers and lips had. "Happy New Year, indeed, Danny." She thought to herself as a small smile graced her angelic face.

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A/N2:** Reviews feed my plot bunny! (hint, hint) 


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